Introduction

Activating or installing a feature in SharePoint often involves configuring various settings, including database connection strings. A common challenge faced by developers is how to prompt users or administrators for a connection string during the feature activation process. In this blog post, we’ll explore the limitations and potential solutions to get user input for connection strings when activating custom features in SharePoint.

The Challenge

When creating a custom web part that connects to a separate database, you may want the administrator to specify or type in a connection string during the installation of the .wsp file or at the time of activating the feature. The task becomes complicated since the traditional feature activation process does not provide an interactive interface for user input. This leads to several considerations you need to bear in mind:

1. Dynamic Connection Strings: Connection strings may vary for each installation, making it impractical to hardcode them in the solution.
2. Programmatic Construction: Creating the connection string programmatically during installation is typically not viable.

Given these constraints, finding a user-friendly way to capture this input is imperative.

Possible Solutions

Although SharePoint does not support direct prompts during feature activation, there are alternative approaches that can help you manage connection strings effectively. Here are some methods you can consider:

1. Web Part Properties

One straightforward solution is to use web part properties to allow users to input the connection string. However, this comes with limitations:

• Individual Settings: Administrators must set the connection string every time the web part is added.
• Maintenance: Managing connection strings across multiple web parts could become tedious over time.

2. Custom Settings Screen

Building a custom _layouts settings page can be a more user-friendly solution. This allows you to provide a dedicated interface where users can maintain the connection string. Key steps include:

• Create a Custom Application Page: Use the SharePoint infrastructure to build a custom settings page.
• Storing the Connection String: You can store the connection string in either the Web Property bag or inside the Web.Config.
  • While interacting with the Web.Config, ensure you use the SPWebConfigModification class to avoid potential issues. For guidance on this, check out this useful resource: Using SPWebConfigModification Class.

3. Store Configuration in a SharePoint List

Another effective technique is to store configuration information directly in a SharePoint List. This way, you can easily manage connection strings and retrieve them in your web part. For a robust framework on this method, you may find Chris O’Brien’s SPConfigStore particularly helpful: SPConfigStore Framework.

Conclusion

While it may seem daunting to prompt for a connection string during the SharePoint feature activation process, various techniques exist to gather this information efficiently. By implementing a custom settings screen, utilizing web part properties, or leveraging a SharePoint List, you can ensure that administrators can easily manage connection strings, leading to a smoother feature activation experience. Choose the method that best fits your project’s needs, and keep exploring the extensive capabilities SharePoint offers.

Hope these suggestions help you in your development journey! If you have more queries or need assistance, feel free to reach out.